No. 1 Bulldogs Sail at Venue for Nationals

Nickbarg and Smith sail Larks on Mystic Lake

Sep 26, 2013

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The No. 1 Yale coed sailing team will travel south for the St. Mary's Intersectional this weekend. Sailors will also compete at the Hood Trophy at Tufts and at the New England Men's Singlehanded Championships sailed at home at the McNay Family Sailing Center.

The Bulldogs usually do not travel to the St. Mary's Intersection during the fall, but this year is an exception. The 2014 ICSA Team Race National Championship and Coed Fleet Race National Championship will both be held at St. Mary's College of Maryland this spring. Therefore, experience at this venue will hopefully allow the sailors to gain some insider knowledge before the national championships. This will be one of the most competitive intersectionals of the fall, since every top team will be trying to use this time on the water to their advantage.

Farther north, another team of Bulldogs will race for the Hood Trophy at Tufts. Last year Yale finished second to the home team at this regatta, only 10 points behind, so this year the Bulldogs will be looking for the win. The Hood Trophy is sailed on Mystic Lake in Tufts' fleet of Larks. Tufts is the only collegiate venue that sails Larks, meaning the Bulldogs will have to adapt to the powered-up sails and tapered, carbon-fiber masts. Seniors Marlena Fauer and Max Nickbarg along with junior Morgan Kiss will all be on call to sail at Tufts this weekend along with crews seniors Eugenia Custo Greig and Amanda Salvesen and freshmen Natalya Doris and Meredith Megarry.

Sailing at home, sophomore Eric Anderson and freshmen Ian Barrows and Mitchell Kiss will race in the New England Men's Singlehanded Championships. Sailing in Lasers, the three Elis will be competing for the four berths to the ICSA Men's Singlehanded National Championship held in November. Yale is usually known for being a powerhouse in singlehanded sailing, and this year is no exception, with all three sailors, despite being underclassmen, having a serious chance to qualify for the national championship.